Where is your safe place?

These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there (Numbers 35:15).

According to the Law of Moses, anyone who committed murder was “put to death” (Exodus 21:14), however, God instructed that he would designate a place for those who unintentionally killed someone (Exodus 21:13). This designated place is introduced in Numbers 35 as the Cities of Refuge. It is at the Cities of Refuge where one would flee from the “avenger of blood” who would pursue a killer, even if the act was unintentional. It was a “safe place” for those who were waiting trial. These cities reminds Christians of Jesus Christ — a safe place where Christ shelters his people from death, a safe place in times of trouble, and a safe place from the enemy of our souls. At The Well Church, we begin our worship service with a time of prayer. As we walk into the sanctuary, we not only need time to “be still,” but also to center our attention to Jesus Christ, our “safe place.” This time is scheduled into our service as a City of Refuge. As you pray this morning, picture yourself running into the arms of Jesus, our Prince of Peace, our Refuge, our Redeemer, and our Protector. As the Cities of Refuge were opened to all people  — Israel, strangers, and sojourners — who fled to them, Jesus Christ provides safety to all who come to Him for refuge. Let us enter into His presence and say to the LORD,

“My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:2).